When it Comes to Speed, XFINITY Internet Delivers

By Cathy Avgiris
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Aug 02, 2011

Today, as the culmination of over a year of planning, testing, and analyzing data, the FCC released a report that confirms what our network engineers know is true — that our customers get what they pay for when it comes to their broadband speeds, plus even more with our patented PowerBoost™ technology (more on that later).

We commend the FCC for establishing a collaborative process where ISPs of all types joined with advocacy groups, like MeasurementLab and the New America Foundation, and FCC engineers to develop new, more accurate Internet measurement protocols. The FCC report — based on testing conducted by a globally-recognized third-party expert SamKnows — is one of the most comprehensive studies of residential broadband performance ever conducted in the U.S., and we look forward to reviewing all the details. But the bottom line is a good one, not only for Comcast customers, but for just about all broadband subscribers — the U.S. has some of the most robust and competitive broadband networks anywhere in the world.

Speeds and Choices:

Comcast delivers the fastest speeds to more homes than anyone and provides the best online experience for all of the Internet-connected devices consumers now have in the home. And we know speed is important to our customers because more than 20% take a speed tier faster than our most popular 12 Mbps service tier. We also know that consumers like to have choices, which is why we offer a wide range of speed tiers so each customer can select the service that's right for them. At Comcast, we have six different service tiers that offer a range of download speeds: up to 1.5 Mbps, 3 Mbps, 6 Mbps, 12 Mbps, 20 Mbps, 50 Mbps, and even an ultra-fast 105 Mbps. And we continue to increase the speeds our customers get with the service all the time. All of these services are available as either standalone products or in bundles with other Comcast services.

PowerBoost:

We also have patented a feature — called PowerBoost — that enables our customers to experience boosts of speed above their provisioned speeds when they transfer data over the Internet. The technology uses excess capacity available in the network, and consumers find it to be a real benefit when surfing the web, downloading email attachments or files, and streaming the latest TV shows or movies.

Factors that Affect Speed:

While the SamKnows test is informative on many levels, and affirms that Comcast's network delivers the speeds it promises and more, it's important to point out that a variety of factors can affect the actual speeds that a consumer will experience in their home. The age or performance of the PC or other device, the behavior of certain software on the device, and the capabilities of the in-home network, including the Wi-Fi router, can all affect a customer's individual experience. That's why we provide recommendations and advice for how customers should configure their home equipment to ensure they're enjoying the fastest broadband speeds possible. Steps consumers can take may include getting a faster computer processor or adding more memory (RAM), using the latest version of a preferred Web browser, and having up-to-date anti-virus software running at all times. We also publish a list of modems that are certified on our network and capable of achieving the speeds customers pay for. If a customer has a modem on their service that may no longer be capable of achieving our increased speeds, we provide an easy way for our customers to upgrade their equipment.

We are pleased to have participated with other ISPs and with advocacy groups in this effort to work with the FCC on this more solid, credible speed test mechanism, and we look forward to reviewing the details from this comprehensive analysis.